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The Original Karma

During the Republican National Convention, Democratic chairman, Debbie Wasserman Schultz tweeted out a pointed message to Republican chairman Reince Preubus in the wake of some heated protest from the delegations over the controversial Republican nominee and now President, Donald Trump.

She wrote: “Hey, Reince, I’m in Cleveland if you need another chair to help keep your convention in order.”

It was basically a “Hey, you’re screwing it up and I’m enjoying the show,” shout out.

She didn’t know that on the eve of her own convention, there would be a released email leak revealing that her and other members of the DNC conspired to sabatoge the campaign of Bernie Sanders, in favor of Hillary Clinton. The negative exposure ended in her resignation. Oops.

The week following the drama and political fallout, I heard one political commentator mention, “How fast political karma works.”

Now this is not a commentary defending any political figure’s good and bad qualities, but for some reason that statement stuck with me for weeks. I hear the word “karma” thrown around in memes, jokes, and real life struggles or heartbreak. What does it mean?

KARMA:

ˈkärmə/ the sum of a person’s actions in this and previous states of existence, viewed as deciding their fate in future existences.

It dawned on me that karma is basically a 21st century, Hindu and Budist originated term that copies an age-old biblical concept. It’s mind shattering, really.

Are you ready? It comes from Galatians 6 in the Bible. (You know, that book we should read more.)

Here it is:

“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.”

I love how it continues in the New Living Translation.

“Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.”

This isn’t intended to be used as a club to beat over our heads; it’s a timeless principle that we should view as a key to good fruit, more than ammunition to condemn our already dead flesh. (Dead dogs don’t move.)

It’s an invitation to spend time with Life, so we can reproduce it.

“Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.” John 3:6

So yeah, God thought of karma millions of years before Buda did, and that’s a fact. Also, God is still alive to consult so that’s a plus. He actually wants our trees and our storehouses to be teeming and overflowing with fruit.